Green Bay tickets, parties and packages now on sale!
We get you to the game and more.Learn More >>

The Packers’ possibilities going into Thursday night’s first round of the 2019 NFL Draft are many, but their goal is simple: (A) to stay put and choose wisely when possible; and (B) to bend the draft to their will when necessary.

Packers GM Brian “Gunslinger” Gutekunst did both in last year’s draft.

Gutekunst’s draft-day maneuvering in his first go-round – coupled with his free-agent signings in the offseason – gives the Packers great flexibility.

Green Bay holds the 12th, 30th, 44th, 75th, 114th and 118th picks. That’s more than enough ammo to build around the free agents.

Za’Darius and Preston Smith are bookends at outside linebacker. Adrian Amos affords leadership in the secondary. Billy Turner is an experienced, athletic and versatile offensive lineman.

A stud inside linebacker, a speed edge rusher and an athletic safety all would fit nicely in defensive coordinator Mike Pettine’s attack. Each position may be addressed in this draft.

Retaining Jimmy Graham and resigning Marcedes Lewis doesn’t preclude them from taking a tight end in the first round. But it does remove the urge to reach for one.

Iowa’s Noah Fant is a speedy, sure-handed tight end that could make an immediate impact on passing downs. Fant would be a serious option if he’s still available at 30.

If not, Alabama’s Irv Smith Jr. may be around at 44.

Either fits the bill as an instant impact player with long-term potential as the starter.

Fifth-round pick Cole Madison’s return after a year off should help the Packers’ offensive line, but it doesn’t mean they won’t select one, perhaps as early as the 12th pick.

Without further ado, here is my “Packers draft plan” for 2019, also known as their best-case scenario:

** If LSU inside linebacker Devin White is available when the Packers are on the clock with the 12th pick, they should take him. It should be a no-brainer. He would be a Day One running mate alongside Blake Martinez in a revamped defense.

White’s sideline-to-sideline speed and play-making ability make him too good to pass up.

If White’s gone, Mississippi State edge rusher Montez Sweat would be the next-best option. Sweat could play on passing downs right away, while being groomed as a one-day starter.

Sweat’s a beast.

If Sweat is gone it becomes decision time. A call from another GM wanting to trade up for a quarterback would be sweet.

One possibility is the New York Giants at 17.

If Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins falls to 12, and the Giants want to trade up, here’s what the NFL’s trade value chart says:

** To trade down with the Giants, the Packers would receive New York’s 17th pick and its 37th pick. In return, the Giants would get the Packers’ 12th, 75th and 118th picks.

I would make that deal in a heartbeat.

The Packers would hold the 17th, 30th, 37th and 44th picks. That’s four Top 50 players in one draft.

In this scenario, Green Bay’s flexibility would be endless.

Here’s how I would go:

** I would draft Oklahoma offensive lineman Cody Ford at 17. He’s a rare athlete at 6-4, 329 pounds who has played both guard and tackle. He would be the Packers’ Day One starter at either left or right guard, with potential to play tackle later on.

With Ford, Turner, Madison and Bryan Bulaga’s return, the Packers’ offensive line would be in its best shape in a long time.

** At 30, I’m all in on Mississippi receiver A.J. Brown. He’s a terrific athlete who can play in the slot or on the perimeter. At six feet, 226 pounds, he ran a 4.49 40-yard dash and has both the agility and power to run past or run over would-be defenders.

If Brown’s gone, I would take the best tight end. If Iowa tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Fant are gone, I would take Alabama’s Smith. If he’s gone, too, I would select Alabama inside linebacker Mack Wilson.

They can’t all be gone.

** At 44, Delaware’s Adderley would be a nice fit at safety. Texas A&M tight end Jace Sternberger, a nifty pass-catcher, needs to get stronger in the run game.

Clearly, the possibilities are many.

My best guess is Green Bay stays put and drafts either the best offensive lineman or defender on their board.

On Friday morning, I’ll have a column recapping the Packers’ first round of the draft. Wish me luck.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – In 10 days the Green Bay Packers likely will be on the clock with the 12th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

2019?!
Packers tickets and game packages available by this weekend!Learn More >>

What should they do? Who should they select?

Based on a dizzying look at the highlight film, statistics, player evaluations and mock drafts, I’ve come to two conclusions.

** No. 1 – The Packers are going to get an impact player at 12. If LSU inside linebacker Devin White falls (he won’t), or Florida tackle Jawaan Taylor tumbles (I doubt it), they would have to consider the speedy ILB or the OL building block.

It would be a nice problem to have.

An added bonus would be if Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins falls to 12, in which case another team might try to trade up for the signal caller. That could lead to a strong offer.

Otherwise, it’s most likely my No. 2 scenario will shake out.

** No. 2 – The Packers should select Mississippi State edge rusher Montez Sweat if he’s still on the board.

The addition of Za’Darius and Preston Smith in free agency doesn’t mean the Packers no longer need a pass rusher. In fact, it sets up a scenario where the Smiths can bang away on early downs, with Sweat entering in obvious passing situations.

It carves out an immediate niche for the rookie without putting any undue pressure or expectations on him beyond the norm.

Sweat, at 6-6, 260, ran a blistering 4.41 40-yard dash at the combine. He also showed a 36-inch vertical jump while doing 21 reps at 225 pounds in the bench press.

He reminds me of two NFC North pass rushers: the Vikings’ Danielle Hunter and the Bears’ Leonard Floyd.

Sweat can be in their class as a pass rusher.

After signing with Michigan State out of high school as a tight end, Sweat moved to defense and played in two games before taking a redshirt year. He played in two games in 2015, as well, but was suspended for undisclosed reasons and left the team. From there, he transferred to Copiah-Lincoln College and showed enough to earn a scholarship from Mississippi State.

Once there, he captured back-to-back all-SEC honors by terrorizing SEC offenses for two seasons. As a senior, he also received second-team All-American honors from the Associated Press after notching 53 tackles, 14 for loss, and 11 ½ sacks.

Sweat was diagnosed with a heart condition this offseason, but it’s reportedly nothing that will curtail his NFL career. The Packers shouldn’t be dissuaded by it.

If Sweat isn’t available at 12, and neither White nor Taylor falls, the Packers would have to seriously consider trading down.

They could move back a handful of spots, garner additional picks, and still select from a pool that could include: Iowa tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, Florida State edge rusher Brian Burns, and perhaps (if they’re lucky) Michigan inside linebacker Devin Bush.

Any of those four would have an immediate role in Green Bay, but I can’t see the value at No. 12. Now, at 15 or beyond, plus an additional late-first or early second-round pick, I’m all in.

In fact, I’m willing to guess that either Hockenson or Fant will be available when the Packers pick at 30. They also have the 44th overall pick, so they could go in several directions.

In a perfect world, I could see the Packers drafting Sweat at 12, and then drafting players at two of these four positions: tight end, slot receiver, offensive lineman and inside linebacker.

A.J. Brown, the slot receiver from Mississippi, would be ideal.

Like Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings and James Jones before him, he enters the NFL ready-made to contribute after an incredibly productive college career.

He eclipsed his own school records with 1,320 receiving yards and 85 catches last season.

Next week, I’ll give my final draft overview and prediction.

On a sad note, the Packers lost legendary offensive tackle Forrest Gregg, whom the great Vince Lombardi called “the best player I’ve ever coached.”

Gregg, 85, passed away last week in Colorado Springs, Col., after a lengthy battle with Parkinson’s disease, according to his wife, Barbara.

The Hall of Famer played in a then-record 188 straight games over 15 seasons, garnering All-Pro honors seven times. He played from 1956 to 1971, with his final season in Dallas.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Barbara and the Gregg family,” Packers president Mark Murphy said in a statement. “He was a legendary player for the team, one of the greatest in our history. The ultimate team player, he raised the level of play of those around him. He also had a great connection with the organization over the years. We enjoyed welcoming him back to Lambeau Field and seeing fans appreciate him around the state.”

Bill Curry, the starting center on the Packers’ Super Bowl I team, marveled at Gregg’s attention to detail.

“The first time I set foot on the practice field in Green Bay, I noticed a player in the distance working on his stance, his technique and his footwork,” Curry said in an interview with me Friday on The FAN. “It was Forrest Gregg, the best lineman in the league. I asked him what he was doing. He said, ‘It’s all about the fundamentals. That’s where it all begins.”

Curry said Gregg was the consummate technician and pro. The two became friends and stayed in touch through the years.
“He will be missed,” Curry said. “He was a great man and teammate.”

The next-best news is that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur began implementing his program in earnest today. The Packers’ offseason workout schedule begins with LaFleur at the helm.

As a side note, offensive lineman Cole Madison will report to the Packers. The fifth-round pick had off-the-field issues a year ago and elected to take the season off. It appears to have been a wise decision, with Madison’s health the most important factor.

Now, it seems, he’s ready to contribute to the Packers.

All that good news couldn’t have arrived at a better time.

The winds of change already swept through Lambeau Field when former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy was fired after a dismal Dec. 2 loss to lowly Arizona at home.

Now, it is LaFleur’s time to take the team in a winning direction.

Last week, two stories circulated that painted the Packers in a disappointing light. In an ESPN article, McCarthy said the Packers couldn’t have handled his firing any worse.

He focused long and hard on the “how” and “when.”

He said the messenger was cold and the timing (in-season) was a mistake.

What McCarthy didn’t discuss was the “why?”

Maybe this will clear it up.

McCarthy was fired on Dec. 2 because his team would fail to reach the playoffs in consecutive seasons. He was fired because he couldn’t control his quarterback. He was fired because he was flailing about instead of fixing the stagnant offense.

Then, in a Bleacher Report article that was unflattering at best, Aaron Rodgers was portrayed as a prima donna and McCarthy as running a program that lacked discipline and innovation.

Rodgers on Monday called the article a smear campaign.

Rodgers responded vehemently to the allegations that he called McCarthy “a low-IQ football coach” and that Packers president Mark Murphy told him “not to be the problem” during a phone conversation in which Murphy told Rodgers of LaFleur’s hire.

He also said he never held a grudge against McCarthy because his coach, when with the 49ers, allegedly said he believed Alex Smith was the better quarterback.

Rodgers, to ESPN Milwaukee, said:

“The two main things I think I really want to talk about and just clear up, which are really central themes to the article, the first is the Mark Murphy conversation because part of the article seems to want to say the Packers are worried about me as the leader of the football team moving forward.

“And before I get into what actually happened in the conversation with Mark, I want to say two things: One, if they knew that, why would they offer me a contract last year? And two, which goes into my second central thesis point that I’m going to take down, is if I really disliked Mike (McCarthy) so much, why would I re-sign knowing that if I play and we do what we do around here – we made the playoffs eight straight years and then I got hurt and we missed the playoffs – it’s going to be me and Mike my entire career. So if I really disliked him that much, do you think I’d re-sign. Is the money that important to me? I’ll tell you it’s not. Quality of life is important.”

Rodgers added that Packers fans should be grateful for everything that McCarthy accomplished in his time here.

“We had a hell of a run,” Rodgers said. “We had 13 years, four NFC Championships, one Super Bowl, eight straight playoffs, 19 straight wins … So instead of trashing this guy on the way out, let’s remember the amazing times that we had together.

“Packers fans, remember this, especially those of you who live in Green Bay: Mike lives here. Mike has young kids here. So Mike has to be here. Think about how difficult that is for him.

My favor that I would ask of you, strongly, is if you see Mike, shake his hand. Tell him thanks for the memories … show him the respect that he deserves.”

Fair enough. Rodgers has tried to graciously move on from the Bleacher Report article, and to make an effort to repair/maintain his relationship with McCarthy.

It’s the right thing to do.

Still, all eyes will be on Rodgers to see if he’s truly buying into LaFleur’s scheme. What choice does he have but to be aboard? And why wouldn’t he be?

When all is said and done this is what matters: LaFleur has an opportunity to write his own history here. He enters the job with open eyes, and if that wasn’t entirely true before last week’s double-barreled barrage of disappointment, it ought to be now.

Perhaps some good can come of this.

Let’s hope so because the Bears aren’t messing around. They intend to capture the NFC North title in back-to-back seasons, beginning with the Thursday night opener.

It will be here sooner than you think.

Meantime, the Packers are beginning operations under a new coach, and GM Brian Gutekunst is just 17 days away from overseeing the Packers’ draft for a second time.

Understated personality belied fire, passion, production in Jordy’s career

GREEN BAY, Wis. – From Kansas State walk-on to shoo-in for induction into the Packer Hall of Fame, Jordy Nelson was excellence personified during his 11-year NFL career.

Get ready for football….Packers tickets
and packages available in three weeks!Learn More >>

Last week, Nelson called it quits after an amazing run.

He announced his decision on Twitter, writing:

“Packers Fans, my family and I would like to say THANK YOU for your support over the last 10 yrs. We have been blessed to call Green Bay our home and WI will always be a part of our lives. We have many great memories and it’s the people we will miss the most. Until next time …”

Nelson, who turns 34 on May 31, spent his first 10 seasons with the Packers. It’s where he and Aaron Rodgers became one of the NFL’s most feared quarterback-receiver duos in history.

Rodgers and Nelson combined for their 65th touchdown pass in 2016 to eclipse the franchise record held by Brett Favre and Antonio Freeman.

The touchdown tandem raised the back-shoulder throw to an art form. Even when opposing cornerbacks knew it was coming they were defenseless to stop it.

It seems like only yesterday that Rodgers, standing tall in the pocket, would pat the football once, twice … and then fire it to a wide-open Nelson on a deep crossing route for six points.

Or Rodgers, buying time in the red zone, would prance and dance and finally unleash a bullet to Nelson in the back of the end zone, or at the pylon. Again, the same result: Touchdown.

The images remain firmly ingrained in Packers’ fans minds.

Some think Rodgers’ greatness mitigated Nelson’s dominance, almost as if to say, “Nelson couldn’t do it without Rodgers.”

How did that work for Rodgers in 2018?

The fact is this: Rodgers and Nelson were terrific individual players who teamed up to be unstoppable for nearly a decade.

Nelson’s retirement signals the end of an era. It was with a wistful glance that I looked back on the Sports Illustrated cover in 2011. It was titled, “The Perfect Pack!”

It featured Green Bay’s embarrassing array of weaponry.

Jermichael Finley, James Jones, Donald Driver and Jordy Nelson stood tall in the back row. In the front, a kneeling Aaron Rodgers was flanked by Randall Cobb and Greg Jennings.

To this day, the photo makes fans shake their heads at the Packers’ amazing passing game and 15-1 record. All that was missing were the Super Bowl rings it should have wrought.

Alas, enough talk of falling short.

Nelson’s soaring achievements deserve praise in this space:

** Nelson is the only player in team history to record three seasons with 13-plus touchdown catches (2011, 2014 and 2016).

** He ranks fourth in NFL history with three seasons of 13-plus touchdowns and 1,250-plus receiving yards. The receivers ahead of him are Jerry Rice (six), Randy Moss (five) and Terrell Owens (four).

** He ranks second in Packers history in TD receptions (69), third in receptions (550) and fifth in receiving yards (7,848).

The fact that Nelson was named to the Pro Bowl just once (2014) says more about the ridiculous nature of the Pro Bowl than it does Nelson’s achievements.

Nelson caught 98 passes for 1,516 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014. After a preseason knee injury erased his 2015 season, Nelson responded with a 97-catch, 1,257-yard, 13-touchdown season to win NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2016.

The Packers will be forever indebted to Nelson.

“We want to congratulate Jordy on an incredible career that included achievements that will result in his eventual induction into the Packer Hall of Fame,” Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said. “He is one of the greatest receivers in franchise history and played a vital role in the team’s success with not only his play on the field but also for what he provided as a great teammate and leader. We wish the best to Jordy, his wife, Emily, and the rest of their family.”

I recall hosting an Event USA player reception party attended by Nelson and his wife, Emily, in his first season in Green Bay.

Nelson was so low-key, polite and unassuming I couldn’t believe he was an NFL receiver. And he and Emily couldn’t have been nicer to everyone in attendance.

That persona didn’t change despite all the catches and touchdowns and wins throughout the years.
Nelson was as genuine as they get in the NFL.

In Nelson’s 2008 rookie bio in the Packers’ media guide, he said he enjoys, “working on the family farm, listening to country music and watching SportsCenter.”

To this day, along with a ton of charity work, Nelson still enjoys getting dirty on the family farm, listening to country and watching SportsCenter.

It’s how Nelson was raised. Simple, honest, hardworking and true to his faith and family, he ranks among the Packers’ greats on and off the field.

Don Hutson, James Lofton and perhaps Sterling Sharpe are the only receivers in Packers’ history I would put ahead of Nelson. Hutson and Lofton are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sharpe might be if his career hadn’t been cut short by injury.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Clay Matthews and Randall Cobb were two of the most attractive opposites in Packers’ history.

Packers are getting loaded and ready for 2019,
and so are we!
Watch for great deals on tickets and
game packages in mid April!Learn More >>

Despite their differences in style, stature and position, the future Packer Hall of Famers played integral roles in Green Bay’s success for the past decade.

While Father Time slowly eroded their prowess as the hits, injuries and seasons took a toll, there’s no debate Matthews and Cobb were key catalysts on some of the Packers’ greatest teams.

Green Bay doesn’t win Super Bowl XLV without Matthews.

It’s that simple.

And Green Bay’s offense doesn’t rack up video-game numbers during a remarkable early to mid-2010s run without Cobb.

Last week, the Packers’ Matthews-Cobb era came to a close.

That’s when the Rams overpaid Matthews by signing him to a two-year, $16.75 million contract, and the Cowboys inked Cobb to a one-year, $5 million deal with their fingers crossed.

On Monday, the NFL announced that the league’s oldest rivalry – Packers versus Bears – will kick off its 100th season on Thursday, Sept. 5, at Soldier Field.

Perhaps Cobb’s knack for making clutch plays and especially against the Bears will be missed in the Thursday night opener. Maybe Mattews’ ability to hit and harass Mitchell Trubisky will be conspicuously absent.

Maybe, but I doubt it.

The Packers were right to let Matthews and Cobb walk in free agency. They were past their prime at positions that demand youth’s agility, explosiveness and ability to stay healthy.

During a lengthy conversation with a Rams fan last week, I smiled when he said Matthews remains a dominant pass rusher. He suggested the presence of Aaron Donald, Dante Fowler, Samson Ebukan and Cory Littleton will force opponents to single-block Matthews, and then look out.
I politely noted Matthews hasn’t been “that guy” in a couple of years. The Clay Matthews that burst onto the scene in 2010 with the flowing gold locks and a lion’s closing speed doesn’t exist, unless it’s in highlights.

That aside, Matthews will endure as one of the team’s greatest players.

“We want to thank Clay for all that he has contributed to the Packers over the past 10 seasons,” Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said. “As the franchise’s all-time sack leader and an integral part of Green Bay’s Super Bowl XLV championship, he will be remembered as one of the greatest players in the history of the organization.

“Clay will always be a member of the Packers family. We wish him, his wife, Casey, and the rest of their family all the best moving forward.”
As for Cobb, his shiftiness in the slot, his knack for making the tough catch while absorbing punishment over the middle, and especially his ability to stay healthy is in decline.

Cobb, who will be 29 in August, struggled with a hamstring injury and played just nine games in 2018. He had 38 catches for 383 yards and two touchdowns. Those were his lowest totals since his rookie season when he caught 25 passes for 375 yards and a touchdown in 2011.

Aaron Rodgers noted that Cobb’s absence, especially as the team’s only pure quote/unquote “slot receiver” was crippling.
“When Randall’s healthy, I think our offense has been different because we have a true slot guy who can make plays in the slot constantly,” Rodgers said.

Perhaps it was an endorsement of Cobb. More likely it was criticism of the fact that Green Bay, a pass-happy team, didn’t have one of the most essential tools in the kit – a slot receiver.

It was Cobb or nothing.

It’s why I’m pretty sure Gutekunst will select a receiver with a similar skill set to Cobb, and in a comparable spot in the draft (Cobb was the 64th pick overall).

Cobb’s departure, in addition to Jimmy Graham’s age (32), make it necessary for the Packers to draft both a slot receiver and a tight end with two of their top four picks.

Potential play-makers at edge rusher and safety would be sensible with the other top two picks.

The board likely will dictate which players are selected when, and it’s still possible Green Bay could draft an offensive lineman in the first two rounds.

The Packers can only hope whomever they draft will be as professional and productive as Cobb during their career.

Cobb is one of five receivers in Packers history to have four straight 60-plus catch seasons (2014-17). The others are Sterling Sharpe, Antonio Freeman, Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.

He ranks sixth in franchise history in catches (470) and 11th in receiving yards (5,524) and touchdown catches (41).

When Matthews and Cobb eventually retire, Packers’ fans will relish the thought of recalling their greatness and celebrating their induction into the Packer Hall of Fame.

Meantime, they hope Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith and whoever is the next slot receiver make sure Matthews and Cobb aren’t missed in the season opener at Chicago – and beyond.